What Can A Plumber Do About Low Water Pressure To Your Shower?

When they take a shower, most people want to feel a powerful flow of water pounding down over their bodies. So, when your shower feels more like a trickle or a light rain, it's normal to be dismayed. The good news is that this is almost always fixable. If you call a plumber, they'll figure out why your shower has such low pressure, and then they'll recommend a solution. Here are some of the most likely explanations they'll come up with.

Mineral Deposits in Your Showerhead

The most likely and simplest explanation for your low water pressure is that there are mineral deposits in your showerhead. This happens over time, especially if you have hard water. Calcium and magnesium, and sometimes other mineral salts, build up inside the showerhead and start impeding the flow of water. 

The solution in this case is simple. Your plumber can remove your showerhead and replace it with a new one. You might actually be able to do this yourself, depending on the type of showerhead you have. Some showerheads unscrew, and you can just screw a new one into place. If you can't figure out how to unscrew your showerhead, it may connect behind your shower wall, in which case you'll want a plumber to replace it.

Mineral Deposits in Pipes

Another possibility is that there are mineral deposits in the pipes leading to your shower. If your showerheads have often become clogged over the years, it's likely that your pipes eventually will, too. Again, this mostly happens in areas with hard water, since the hard water has a high mineral concentration. A plumber can replace the pipes that are mineral-clogged.

Low Public Water Pressure

If your water comes in from a public water connection, it may simply be flowing into your home at a low pressure. Usually, when this is the case, the pressure feels low at all of your taps. However, if you mostly have low-flow and water-conserving plumbing fixtures, the shower may be the only palace where you really notice the low water pressure.

If your plumber finds that low public water pressure is, indeed, your problem, they can install something called a pressure tank in your system. This tank will hold water and increase the pressure at which it flows through your plumbing system.

If your shower does not feel forceful enough or you need other plumbing services, call a plumber. Regardless of the cause of your low pressure, a plumber can likely do something about it.